Three days after winning the 2025 championship, the 2025 NBA Draft is officially here.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have two first-round picks (Nos. 15 via Miami Heat and 24 via Los Angeles Clippers) and a second-round pick (No. 44).
Over the last couple of days, there has been much talk that the Thunder will consolidate these three draft picks to trade up due to the lack of roster spots.
Whether the Thunder trades up or stands pat, here are some ideal draft targets for both scenarios in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Ideal Targets in a Trade Up or at No.15
Carter Bryant, Forward, Arizona:
The pitch for Carter Bryant is simple. He’s a 19-year-old prospect with the size and skill set that would fit right in OKC.
An area of need for OKC is size and shooting at the forward spot. At 6’8 with a near 7’’ wingspan, Bryant provides size, shooting, off-ball movement, and defensive versatility.
The numbers are not eye-catching, as Bryant averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, one assist, and a block while playing only 19.3 minutes per game in his lone season at Arizona.
Bryant’s shooting splits were good, shooting 46% from the floor and 37.1% from three on 2.8 attempts.
Bryant’s size, shooting, and defensive versatility fill a needed void in the forward slot for the Thunder.
Cedric Coward, Wing, Washington St:
His draft stock is skyrocketing due to Impressive measurements and testing at the NBA Combine. Where have we seen that story?
Standing at 6’6 with a 7’2 wingspan, Cedric Coward’s measurements are identical to those of fellow Thunder star Jalen Williams.
Coward is one of the best 3-and-D prospects in this year’s draft class.
Due to injury, Coward only played in six games this season at Washington State, but did averaged 17.7 points, seven rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 55.7% from the floor, 40% from three on five attempts, and 83.9% from the free-throw line on 5.2 attempts.
Coward’s length, shooting, and upside as a creator and defender make the 21-year-old a good fit in OKC.
Collin Murray-Boyles, Forward, South Carolina:
After winning an NBA championship with defense being the primary catalyst, the appeal for Collin Murray-Boyles is easy to see.
Murray-Boyles is an elite defensive prospect who would only make OKC’s defense even scarier.
At 6’8 with a 7’’ wingspan, Murray-Boyles adds to what the Thunder are missing and would be the final piece to an already historical defense to put on bigger wings and forwards.
The 20-year-old averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on 56.8% from the floor in his sophomore season.
Here’s the biggest concern for a Thunder team with consistency issues from the perimeter: Murray-Boyles only shot 26.5% from three on only 1.1 attempts.
While shooting is the most significant area of improvement, Thunder’s Chip Engelland is one of the premier shooting coaches in the history of the NBA and has turned non-shooters into good shooters, and could do the same with Murray-Boyles.
Noa Essengue, Forward, Ratiopharm Ulm:
Noa Essengue is an elite play-finisher who has been very impactful playing for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany. He is a play-finisher, cutter, and scorer in transition and has also shown his defensive versatility.
His current calling card is his defensive versatility, which would fit right into OKC’s historical defense. Add Essengue, with all of the Thunder’s elite defenders. Talk about how much fun and havoc OKC would have and cause on the defensive end.
Standing at 6’10 with a 6’11 wingspan, Essengue would provide needed size at the forward spot. He fits into the offensive identity of the Thunder—moves the ball well, is a smart cutter, and plays well without the ball. He could unlock his talent in OKC’s system.
Due to his athletic traits and play style, Essengue is a high-upside swing pick. There’s a lot of potential to work with, as some areas of his game are very raw—tightening his handle, getting functionally stronger, and improving his perimeter shooting.
The Thunder are in such a sweet spot that they can afford to take a swing on Essengue and allow him to develop his raw areas. Despite all of those things, he’s been impactful and productive—averaging 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 assists in 23.7 minutes per game in the EuroCup on 56% shooting from the floor, only 29.4% from three on 1.9 attempts, and 73% from the free-throw line on 5.6 attempts.
Essengue’s combination of upside, size, and skill set makes him an intriguing fit for the Thunder in this draft.
Ideal Targets at No.24
Rasheer Fleming, Forward, St. Joseph’s:
Another prospect who tested and measured very well at the NBA Combine. At 6’9 with a 7’5 wingspan, Rasheer Fleming provides unique defensive versatility and good physical gifts.
Fleming would provide some serious small-ball five potential and functional versatility at the four spot, next to bigs in Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein with the Thunder.
Fleming’s versatility would allow the Thunder to give opposing teams even more defensive looks, which is a scary thought. With his size and physical traits, he can do a little bit of everything defensively long—term.
Offensively, Fleming had a productive season at St. Joseph’s, averaging 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 assists on 53.1% shooting from the floor and 39% from three on 4.5 attempts.
Fleming isn’t the most potent off the dribble or possesses the passing chops that the Thunder typically goes for when drafting, but he does provide floor spacing and is a force in the paint on both ends.
Fleming’s main appeal for the Thunder is his defense. He provides the needed size in the frontcourt to defend against bigger forwards. His combination of size, athleticism, and skill set would be a good fit for the Thunder, as he would be a depth piece behind Holmgren and Hartenstein.
Liam McNeeley, Wing, UConn:
Playing off of advantages and out of opportunities would benefit Liam McNeeley as the Thunder’s offense would generate consistent quality looks and scoring opportunities for him.
McNeeley is a player who could maximize these opportunities in the Thunder’s offensive system. He brings optimal size, rebounds well for his position, and is a much better shooter than what the numbers indicate in his lone season at UConn, as he averaged 14.5 points, six rebounds, and 2.3 assists, while only shooting 38.1% from the floor and 31.7% from three on 5.4 attempts, but did shoot 86.6% from the free-throw-line on 4.7 attempts.
Playing off of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren will generate a lot of open looks for McNeeley as a shooter and play-finisher. We all saw how much OKC struggled from the three-point line in the playoffs. McNeeley would provide much needed floor-spacing while being a neutral defender and will certainly help on the glass.
At 6’8 with a 6’8 wingspan, this would be a functional fit, as McNeeley’s perimeter shooting would be valuable for the Thunder.
Will Riley, Wing, Illinois:
This would be a long-term project pick, as the Thunder’s roster will quickly become expensive.
This would be an instant stash pick. Will Riley most likely would not see the floor in his rookie year, due to the depth and talent of the reigning champs.
Riley’s upside, length, and skill set make him an intriguing prospect. The Thunder would be banking on his flashes as a creator.
Now, there are concerns with his frame—he weighed 186 pounds at the NBA Combine—and he will have to fill out, along with defensive deficiencies, a lot due to his light frame. The hope is that the frame will fill out over time, which has been the case over the last year. The skill set continues to develop, and he’ll be ready to be a contributor in a couple of years because, down the road, the CBA will have its effects on the roster.
Riley’s lone season at Illinois was a rollercoaster. He averaged 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 43.2% shooting from the floor, 32.6% from three on 4.1 attempts, and 72.4% from the free-throw line on 3.3 attempts.
Standing at 6’8 with a 6’8 wingspan, Riley’s combination of length and scoring upside makes him an interesting fit, if the Thunder keep the draft pick.
